By William Meiners
Herald Staff Writer
[private] Liberty Cromer, a 15-year-old sophomore at Alma High School, saw both a community need and a scouting project. After installing an American flag retirement box at the Alma Public Library, last Wednesday, the anniversary of 9/11, she’s now one step closer to becoming the first female Eagle Scout in Gratiot County.
The next step is to have Cromer before the Eagle Board of Review.
Marleen Cromer, scoutmaster of Alma’s Troop 611 and Liberty’s mother, told The Herald about the “work in progress” that’s been in place since last spring, the proper disposal of an American flag, and the projects that continue to put Liberty on a leadership path.
“Liberty saw the need for a flag retirement box in our community,” said Cromer, who has often taken in such flags for disposal. “If you fly a flag for so long and it’s faded and tattered, it should not be flown anymore. You need to respectfully burn it.”
With the emphasis on “respectful,” Cromer said there’s no set ceremony to burn a flag. She described cutting off the metal grommets, which would not burn anyway. Then you might cut the stars and stripes away from each other, so you end up disposing of the “remnants of the flag” and not the flag itself.
The special thing about Liberty’s plan was its placement. “She wanted it at the library so younger eyes can see it and learn flag etiquette,” Cromer said.
The sheer foot traffic at a library, especially from kids, is likely to have more impact than perhaps it might at any local VFW. Though it was more than just a matter of building the thing and dropping it off at the library.
Liberty had to make a presentation to the Alma City Council to get permission and talk to Lorrie Taylor, the library director, about logistics.
Liberty planned the design of the box, right down to the various angles. She also purchased the materials and provided leadership to other scouts, along with her parents, in its construction.
“My husband helped because as a scout you’re not allowed to use certain power tools,” Cromer said. “But she assembled the box and did the whole design by herself.”
As part of the only female scout troop in Gratiot County, under the umbrella of the Boy Scouts of America, Liberty is used to breaking new ground. She attended the National Jamboree with 20,000 other scouts in West Virginia last summer. Next year, she plans on traveling to Philmont, New Mexico by train for an extended hiking trip.
With more than two years of high school still ahead of her, Liberty, her mother reported, has plans to join the U.S. Navy after graduation. Combine that with studies, dance recitals, and the other extracurricular activities of a teenager, and you’ve got a very busy young lady. Although those leadership roles, embraced throughout her young life, could lead to more success.
As Liberty awaits the board approval and her official Eagle Scout status, Marleen said a public flag retirement ceremony is in the works. With a half dozen American flags already in the collection box at the library, there seems to be some interest there. And with the prominent placement of the box at the library, there could be more children following in Liberty’s footsteps. [/private]